Nuclear Pharmacy
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• A specialty area is the one that requires a
concentration of knowledge in a once specific
area.
• The development of nuclear pharmacy as a
specialty area followed the development of
nuclear medicine as a recognized specialty by
the American Medical Association in the early
1970's.
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• Nuclear Medicine
A specialty of medicine and
medical imaging that uses
radiopharmaceuticals in the
diagnosis and treatment of
diseases.
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• Nuclear Pharmacy
A specialty area of pharmacy dedicated to the receiving,
preparation, quality control, storage, compounding and
dispensing radiopharmaceuticals. Also deals with the
disposal of radioactive wastes and documentation
Nuclear pharmacy is a service to improve and promote
health through safe and effective use of
radiopharmaceuticals for diagnosis, therapy and
palliation. Some time it is called radio pharmacy
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What are the applications of
Radiopharmacy?
1. Diagnostic
– The radiopharmaceutical accumulated in an organ
of interest emit gamma radiation which are used for
imaging of the organs with the help of an external
imaging device called gamma camera.
2. Treatment
– They are radiolabeled molecules designed to
deliver therapeutic doses of ionizing radiation to
specific diseased sites.
3. Palliative
4. Research
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Operation of a Nuclear Pharmacy
1. Receiving of radioactive materials
2. Preparation of radiopharmaceuticals
3. Quality control tests of radiopharmaceuticals
4. Storage
5. Dispensing
6. Radioactive waste disposal
7. Infectious waste disposal
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Receiving radioactive materials
• Delivered directly to nuclear medicine
department or nuclear pharmacy (short half-
lives)
• Packages should be monitored within 3 hr if
delivered during normal hours
• Packages should be monitored within 3 hr from
the beginning of the next working day if
delivered after working hours
Preparation of radiopharmaceuticals
• Only trained people should be responsible
for and participate in the preparation
• Aseptic technique
• Lead barrier shields (Adequate shielding
must be used to protect laboratory
personnel from ionizing radiation.)
• Syringe shields
• Leaded gloves, aprons, and eye glasses
should be worn
• Quantity
• Radiopharmaceuticals should be identified
with a label containing the information as to
the total activity concentration
Radiation shielding
• Alpha and beta radiations are readily shielded because of
their limited range of penetration.
Radiation Protection
Alpha particles Piece of paper
•Mono-energetic and have a
range of a few centimeters in air
Beta radiation •Aluminum
•Glass
•Transparent plastic materials
Gamma radiation •Lead
•Tungsten
Quality Control Tests of Radiopharmaceuticals
• Before dispensing for humans
• Colloidal and macro-aggregated preparation
should be checked for particle size.
• Workstations and their environment should
regularly be monitored with respect to aseptic
quality.
Quality control tests of
radiopharmaceuticals
• Visual Inspection of Product
- Visual inspection of the compounded radiopharmaceutical
shall be conducted to ensure the absence of foreign
matter
- Assessment of Radioactivity
-The amount of radioactivity in each compounded
radiopharmaceutical should be verified and documented
prior to dispensing, using a proper standardized
radionuclide (dose) calibrator.
Storage
• Should be properly stored to prevent
degradation by light or temperature
• Must be stored in lead containers or
behind lead shields
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Dispensing
• Starts with a prescription
• Prescription should contain
1. Patients name
2. Identification no.
3. Age
4. Date time
5. Physician signature
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Radioactive waste disposal
• Syringes, vials containing residual activities,
needles, contaminated papers, liquid waste
• According to guideline
1. Decay in storage
2. Release
• Radionuclides intolives
that have a less
sewerage system
than 120 days usually are disposed of
by this method
•• For
3.soluble
Transfer tomaterials
radioactive
an authorized
in water
recipient
Radio active should be stored separately according the similar half lives
• Disposed(disposable
quantity should facility)
not exceed the limits of the maximum permitted
concentrations
Others(MPCs)
• 4.
For long-lived (incineration and atmospheric
radionuclide
• Flow rate of water
• Theyrelease of radioactive
bury or incinerate gases)
at approved sites and facilities
• Number of radionuclide
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Infectious waste disposal
• Should be stored in puncture
resistant, leak resistant bags or
containers
• Should be labeled with
international biohazard symbol
• Storage period
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Biohazard Sign
• Ionizing • Non
Ionizing
radiation
radiation
Radiation Danger
High Level Source
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organisation
• Speciality Part of hospital pharmacy
– Performs under the direction of pharmacy
director.
• Or
• Section of nuclear medicine department
– function under the head of NMD
– Radio pharmacist will be the incharge of
radiopharmaceuticals
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